Fair play to Boro for not putting 10 men behind the ball. We were pretty woeful but another 3 on the board so no harm done. Qualify for CL, get the Olympic players back and sign someone who can play wide. I still find it absurd that Rafa is being told he can't buy Barry, but there you go.
Alonso was the only player trying stuff today, the corners were shocking but otherwise he is trying to be positive and you need that
the problem for Alonso is the tepid performances of the likes of Kuyt and Benayoun and Gerrard clearly not up to speed bar the last 10 minutes. Boro also have decent attacking players and saw too much of the ball
our problem was being too defensive at home, not flooding the box and not being creative enough out wide, that was before we went 3 at the back and hey presto 2 goals with Nabil running the channels unlike Kuyt who did bugger all
We played football for 5 minutes at the beginning of the game and 5 or so minutes at the end of the game. In the other 85 minutes, it was a forced match.
And yet we got 3 points.
It was a miracle. Divine intervened -- and Pogatetz' backside was the instrument.
Most people who thought Alonso was poor equally gave him credit for a great performance last week. But today he was awful. You are every bit as tunnel-visioned as those who insist he's just a poor player, because you can't acknowledge his faults.
I`m not trying to say Alonso had a good game today, I`m just trying to look at the reasons behind it.
The difference between his perfromance for Spain in midweek and for us today could not be illustrated better.
On Wednesday he had players in constant movement around him being able to play both short and long passes, today there were big gaps between all our players and when Alonso wanted to pass the ball he had to hit it past one and two Boro player on most occasions to fina a Liverpool player almost standing still.
His corners where shite, but its down to instructions, just like it is with Gerrard when he cant beat the first man.
Alonso was involved in the Boro goal, but it was a coward pass from Dossena just trying to get the rid of the pressure himself and it set up Alonso in an almost impossible situation and he really did not control the ball at all but he tried his best.
Alonso was not our main problem at all today, from my view it was the same as always, we do not have the players with the ability to unlock a defense and go past a player because of their own ability and skill out wide.
We have Torres but he is a lonesome swallow and cant do everything himself.
We need to bring in creativity out wide during the coming week, unless I dont think we will have a chance fighting for the title come May.
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"It is the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it." - Aristotle
Alonso was the only player trying stuff today, the corners were shocking but otherwise he is trying to be positive and you need that
the problem for Alonso is the tepid performances of the likes of Kuyt and Benayoun and Gerrard clearly not up to speed bar the last 10 minutes. Boro also have decent attacking players and saw too much of the ball
our problem was being too defensive at home, not flooding the box and not being creative enough out wide, that was before we went 3 at the back and hey presto 2 goals with Nabil running the channels unlike Kuyt who did bugger all
2 agendas in one post..well done. absolute tripe but well done all the same.
Terrible performance today but i will take 36 more terrible performances in the league if it leads to 3 points each match.
I dont think anyone can really hold their head up high with their performance, possibly Carra who i thought was as solid as usual and we need to find form and find it quickly as we have sterner tests coming up where i doubt we will be so lucky.
Today was another example of Alonso and Gerrard just do not work as i though both were poor but especially Xabi who struggled all game thanks to been closed down quickly and when he did have space his passing was terrible by his standards.
We were poor on the flanks as well in Kuyt and Yossi but at least Kuyt was offering the workrate as Yossi did not seem interested.
Yossi was replaced by Babel but the young lad needs to take a good long look at that performance today as he rarley offered himself for the ball and when he did get near it was largely poor.
As it was against Sunderland it took one of our match winners in Gerrard to win us the game but players like that always will and 3 points is 3 points but the players really need to step up some gears and fast.
All there is too this one; great fucking goal and boss late celebrations.
Take the three, learn from the team dynamics and move on.
funny that Boro took the lead twice against us and ended up losing, exactly the same as last year
you have to wonder if their defense shit themselves or if its a case of our players just upping their game, clearly we need to be more offensive from the off and not be obsessed with keeping it tight otherwise you get suckered.
The whole midfield were poor, we are desparate for width. Two matches where we've pumped high balls up to two short strikers against two big defenders. The three points are great, we got lucky. But we need better, we can't get taht lucky every week
We were shoking, But A come back like this wil lift the lads, There no things can only get better, Winnin and playing shit sign of champs.
But that kind of comeback wil give the lads a big boost and i think next game we wil be steppin it up a few gears.
Well in lads. top of the prem... playin shit! wat more cld u ask for :)
His corners where shite, but its down to instructions, just like it is with Gerrard when he cant beat the first man.
I'm sorry, but when Gerrard took over the corners they were much better, so I don't accept you take poor corners to instruction. I'd agree about the creativity out wide though. I think it's a question of whether we can get someone who has the sufficient quality.
Still, I'm sure we can both agree on one thing - Lou Macari is a cunt.
__________________ "It's a Fez. I wear a Fez now. Fezzes are cool."
I have no agenda when it comes to Xabi. I fucking love the guy. That said, regardless of whether you think he'd offer more/less than Barry or whether he's been good/average/poor over the last few years, his performance today was fucking awful.
Kuyt, Gerrard and Benayoun we're not even in the game but Xabi just stank the place out. He was at fault for the goal, his set pieces were terrible and his touch and passing which are his main asets, deserted him completely.
His awful touches and passing were not because of those around him, he was just gash.
If he's going to stay he'll have to work very hard to be in the 11 every week because Masch is far more important to us and even goes forward every now and again.
That said, I hope he turns it round. He's a class player and a great lad but he needs to start dominating games a lot more for us.
Downing would definitely improve us that's for sure. I'd like to get him if we don't get fucked in the ass with the price.
Agreed. We need better quality in the wide areas and he would certainly improve us. His crossing is excellent as is his delivery from corners and set pieces.
__________________ Blow me fuck face. Go to hell. I'm sick of you.
Fair play to Boro for not putting 10 men behind the ball. We were pretty woeful but another 3 on the board so no harm done. Qualify for CL, get the Olympic players back and sign someone who can play wide. I still find it absurd that Rafa is being told he can't buy Barry, but there you go.
But Alonso is so obviously a superior player.
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Him claims of me touching him wife which is a wicked and awful lie
Me two hands 'em was occupied me shirt's in me left and me pants in me right
Terrible performance, but great result, especially as it was the last minute or so.
But look at the comparison with Spurs. We've each played Boro and Sunderland and each have a home and away game. The major difference being, that we've played crap in both games and turned almost embarrassing draws into wins, against essentially inferior opposition who have both beaten Spurs.
Fair play to boro, they didnt play ugly. Arbeloa was making their attacking players look world class. He should have closed down Mido not Xabi when he is so much more closer. Anyone who still thinks Babel should play on the right wing needs their head checked, he is way more effective on the left.
The Keane-FT partnership is starting to develop. Its rather nice to watch. I love kuyt btw.
Alonso is not proving his worth and has not been for the last 2 years. He is a likable guy with lots of ability but he is not helping our cause by putting in shocking performances.
